The owner of New York textiles showroom ALT for Living, Analisse Taft, turns a night of Chinese takeout into a grand affair.

"I love to entertain, but I work a lot and live in an apartment, so I don't always have the time or space to cook for parties. When I have friends over, I often order takeout — but that doesn't mean I sacrifice the glamour of a dinner party. We eat around my ginormous five-foot-by-five-foot coffee table, and I pull out my best china, balancing it with little tchotchkes that match the theme. Here, Baccarat crystal butterflies function as stands for chopsticks that cost a few dollars a pair. I mixed Bernardaud plates — I love the cupped-hand motif! — with ceramic bowls and soup spoons I picked up at Pearl River, a fun source for inexpensive odds and ends near Chinatown. I always incorporate fruits and vegetables into my table schemes. Having food already on the table when guests arrive whets the palate. And the artichokes and kumquats add great bursts of color!"

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